Panel-board switch



\ uiy 22, 1924. 1,502,579

, H. E. LEPPERT PANEL BOARD swrrcn Filed Sept. 16, L92

1 m E01 J m fl O-z9 IN V EN TOR Patented July 22, 1924.

HENRY E. LEPPERT, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRUMBULL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A COR- PORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

PAN EIr-B OARD SWITCH.

Application filed September 16, 1922.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. LEPPnR'r, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Britain, Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Panel-Board Switch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to a switch intended to be used in what is commonly termed panel-board construction.

In such constructions standard switches are adapted to be secured to the bus-bars or straps of the panel-board and are usually provided with cover switches.

It is, of course, desirable that the parts be mounted so as to leave but little, if any,

opening in the face plates, and it is obvious, of course, that the parts must be so supported that the operating mechanism will not bind,

With ordinary constructions considerable difficulty is frequently had in properly mounting the switches and the cover plates and considerable time is required to get the switches so adjusted that they will not bind. The main object of my invention is to provide a construction in which the switches may be readily mounted in the usual man ner and to which the face plates may be readily applied without danger of binding and at the same time so as to avoid unsightly or undesirable openings.

In order to accomplish this result, I provide the main face plates with. openings and I provide each switch with an adjusting plate and a cover plate by means of which the face plate is secured in position.

Figure 1 is a front view, on a small scale, of a panel-board switch embodying the im- .provements of my invention, parts being broken away and other parts omitted to more clearly illustrate the details of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a detailed view showing a single switch applied to. the usual panel-board connections.

Fig. 3 shows a part of the adapter support. 7

Fig. 4 shows a fragment of a face plate with the adapter support.

Fig. 5 is a front view of the other part of the adapter which also in this case serves to form a card or index holder.

plates which cover the Serial No. 588,576.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view showing the important features of construction.

The straps or bars 7 and 8 are of the usual type in panel-board construction. The switch may be of any suitable type'secured to the contact members 7 and 8 in any suitable manner, such as is customary in such constructions. As shown in the drawings, the switch is of the toggle or lever type with an operating handle or lever 9, but the construction is equally well adapted for use with common push button switches having one or more push buttons projecting through the face plate.

In the form shown, I have illustrated a switch construction having three pairs of switches, and I have shown a face plate 10 for each pair. These face plates may be of any suitable construction, for instance they may be adapted to interlock at the abutting edges so as to form a practically continuous cover member for all of the switches.

The adjusting member 11 has a hole'12 in which the operating member 9 of the switch 1 is adapted to rock backwards and forward as the switch is operated. This member also. has portions 13, 13, adapted to be seated on the ears 14, 14 of the switch which are provided with tapped holes. The member 11 is also provided with offset feet 15 adapted to 17 and the screws 20 thus serve as clamping means to hold the plate 10 and the plate 11 in place. The opening 16 in the plate 10 being larger than the main body of the plate 11, it is possible to adjust the plate in any direction with respect to the member 11 and to a considerable extent.

It will thus be seen that the operating member or handle 9 will fit snugly in the opening 18, irrespective of the exact angular or lateral location of the switch, and at the same time the exact location of the switch and its ears 14 with respect to the cover plate 10 is unimportant, because of the adjustability of the plate 10 with respect to the plate 11.

The cover plate 17 may conveniently be provided with a pocket 20' having a sight opening 21, so as to receive a card or index member to designate the particular switch or circuits with which the switch is associated. The card clamping means shown provides an easy way of inserting a card and an efficient method of securing the card in position. I

When. used in connection with the common form of push-button switches holes would be provided in the plates 10, 11 and 17 to conform to the shape and size of the push-buttons instead of the rectangular holes shown in these plates in the drawings.

While I have shown a simple form of construction, it should be understood that the exact shape and proportions of the parts is unimportant to the invention herein involved.

I claim:

1. In a panel-board switch, a support, an adjusting plate, a face plate having an opening for part of the adjusting plate, and a cover plate secured to said support to cover the joint between the adjusting plate and the face plate.

2. In a construction of the character described, a switch having projecting ears, an adjusting plate having corresponding ears adapted to be supported thereby, a face plate surrounding a part of said adjusting plate and means for clamping said face plate to said switch.

3. In a construction of the character described, a switch having tapped ears, an adjusting plate supported thereby, a face plate, a cover plate for said adjusting plate and screws passing through said cover plate into said tapped ears to clamp the said face plate 1n position.

4. In a construction of the character described, a switch having supporting ears, an adjusting plate coacting therewith, a face plate supported by said adjusting plate and a cover plate secured to said switch.

5. In a construction of the character described, in combination, an adjusting plate having projecting feet and an opening to receive a switch operating means, a face plate supported by said feet and having an opening to loosely receive said adjusting plate and means for clamping said adjusting plate and said face plate together.

6. In a face plate adjusting means for 7 panel board switches comprising a switch having plate supporting ears, an adjusting plate supported by said ears and having an opening to loosely receive a switch operating means, a face plate having an opening to loosely receive the said adjusting plate, a cover plate having an opening to closely re ceive a switch operating means and screw means for binding the said face plate between the supporting ears and the cover plate. I

7. In a face plate adjusting means for panel board switches comprising a switch having projecting operating means and a frame to support a face plate, an adjusting plate supported by said frame and having an opening to loosely receive a switch operating means, a face plate-having an opening to freely receive said adjusting plate, a cover plate having an opening to receive a switch operating means and screw means for clamping the said face plate between said switch frame and said cover plate.

8. In combination with a face plate adjusting means of the character described, a switch having projecting operating means and a frame adapted to support a face plate, a face plate, a cover plate having an opening to receive said switch operating means, a portion of said cover plate being'formed to receive a legend card and screw means for securing said cover plate to the switch frame to removably clamp said legend card in po-- sition.

9. In a panel-board switch, an adjusting plate,a face plate having an opening for part of the adjusting plate, a cover plate to cover the joint between the adjusting plate and the face plate, and means for detachably securing a card between the cover plate and the face plate.

HENRY E. LEPPERT. 

